Misfortune
by Tressimir
Summary: Naoto Shirogane had a seemingly perfect life: A thriving career at a young age, a supportive family, and Yu Narukami. After an injury threatens to her her way of life from her, however, she needs him more than ever... My first non-oneshot YuNao fic. Rated M for Chapter 4 and Epilogue.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I do not own Persona 4. I wish I did so I could make YuNao canon, but unfortunately we couldn't be that lucky. Instead, you get this. Enjoy!

November 9th, 2013. Having just recently moved back to Inaba, Yu Narukami leaned against the wall of the Chinese diner Aiya and watched for the person he was waiting for. Glancing at the watch on his wrist, a smile touched his face as he recalled the Christmas Eve he'd spent with the one who gave it to him; the one girl he loved, and who he'd already chosen to spend the rest of his life with. All that was left was to tell her that.

As his mind drifted into pleasant memories, a screeching sound reached Yu's ears. Glancing up, he saw a black car careening down the road, pushed by an out-of-control vehicle behind it. Even as horror filled his eyes, the black car overturned, landing hard on its roof with a sickening crunch.

The sound of passersby gasping in horror barely registered in Yu's mind as he ran toward the wreck. He recognized that car, and knowing who it belonged to made the blood pound in his ears and terror grip his heart. Making his way to the wreck, he tore the passenger door open with adrenaline-fueled strength and gazed in horror at the person he saw there - a small, slender girl with navy blue hair, dressed in a dark blue semi-formal suit and a matching hat that had fallen from her head. Yu forced the seat belt off of her and began carefully pulling her out, murmuring, "Naoto…"

As she was removed from the wrecked car, Naoto Shirogane looked up at Yu with silver eyes, slowly reaching up to touch his cheek. "S-Senpai…" She gasped, struggling to breathe as panic filled her gaze. Then, with a motion that lasted an instant but felt like a million years to the silverette, her beautiful eyes fell closed.

"Naoto, no!" He cried, cradling the girl close to his chest as he fell to his knees in the middle of the street. "Please, wake up! Naoto, open your eyes! Naoto!" His heartbeat sped up enough that he couldn't tell one beat from the next; his breath came in rapid gasps as he held his beloved close, his mind paralyzed with the fear that she might die here in his arms. Yu's vision began to blur, then to fade, and as the ambulance arrived he hit the ground with darkness overtaking him.

The next thing he knew, voices were drifting into Yu's ears as his hazy mind struggled to make sense of them.

"…is he?" A male voice asked, sounding familiar.

The next voice was also male, though it sounded much older. "He's fine. The panic was too much for him, but there's no permanent damage."

"So big bro's gonna be okay?" The voice of a small girl asked. Yu's hand twitched and his eyes opened, the light piercing his retinas painfully.

"Ah, Narukami-san, you're awake." The aged doctor beside his bed said. "Have you calmed down?"

Yu blinked and looked at the other two people in the room - a middle-aged man with dark hair and stubble on his chin, and a young brown-haired girl who looked at him with worry. "Uncle Dojima… Nanako… What happened?" His voice was dry and raspy, which was quickly remedied as Nanako got him a glass of water from the sink in the room.

The doctor looked relieved as he explained, "After you pulled Shirogane-san from the wreckage of her car, you hyperventilated and passed out. Luckily there was room for both of you in the ambulance."

Yu's head pounded as he bolted upright, but his only reaction was a small wince. "That's right, Naoto- How is she?" The panic was starting to return to his voice, prompting Dojima to give him a stern look.

"Calm down, Yu. She's alive, but right now you need to think about yourself. You knocked yourself out panicking so much over her." The older man's expression was a mixture of relief and exasperation, but he was obviously glad his nephew was awake.

Yu shook his head and said quietly, "I need to see her. I have to see that Naoto's okay with my own eyes." His voice betrayed the pain his heart felt as his fists clenched around the sheets, causing Dojima and Nanako to exchange worried glances.

Luckily, the doctor spoke up right then. "Shirogane-san is awake now, so you can see her whenever you wish. Her room is on the third floor, second door on the right from the stairway." He left immediately after speaking, leaving Yu to get dressed and make his way to Naoto's room.

After locating the room, the silverette opened the door as quietly as he could in case Naoto had fallen asleep again. He was greeted by the sight of his girlfriend lying in bed, her eyes open and looking toward him. "Senpai…" She said in a weak voice, smiling as much as she could.

Yu rushed to her side and gently took her hand, murmuring, "I'm sorry, Naoto. I should have saved you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Tears had formed in his eyes as he lifted her hand to his lips and softly kissed her fingers, repeating his apology over and over.

"Please don't apologize, Senpai." Naoto said quietly, lightly grasping his hair to tug his face down toward hers. Her silver eyes were as bright as ever and her lips curved into a soft smile, the same smile that Yu had come to love. "You can't possibly blame yourself. How were you supposed to stop the car from rolling?" She laughed softly, seeming to be in remarkably good spirits given her recent trauma.

Pulling a chair beside her bed, Yu sat down with Naoto's hand still resting in both of his. "I'll be right here until you can go home again, Naoto. I promise." Their eyes were locked on one another as each felt their intense love for the other within them. Yu marveled at how soft and smooth Naoto's skin was, how delicate her hand felt in his, almost as if she was a porcelain doll. _But even the most priceless dolls could never compare to how special you are to me, Naoto. _He thought as he looked into the small detective's eyes.

It was at that moment that a doctor arrived and began speaking to Naoto. "Shirogane-san, the results of your test came back. There was little permanent damage, save for that done to your spinal column. However…"

"I already know." Naoto's voice was more sorrowful now, her hand clutching onto Yu's as if for strength.

Glancing between the doctor and his love, Yu asked, "What's wrong? What's going on?"

"Senpai…" The detective said, tears beginning to choke her voice as she looked back into his eyes. "I… I can't walk. I'm paralyzed from the waist down."


	2. From Pain, Joy

**Author's Note:** I do not own Persona 4. This is simply my favorite pairing, and I want to share it with my fellow shippers. YuNao fans unite!

Yu was struck dumb by the announcement. Naoto's legs were paralyzed? Sorrow gripped his heart, worrying how she would handle being unable to ever walk again.

"Don't look at me like that." Naoto said harshly, turning her gaze away from him. "I don't need pity. I'm sure I'll heal and be back on my feet in short order." Though she was trying to sound strong, Yu could detect tremors in her voice that betrayed her sense of loss.

The doctor shook his head and began saying, "Shirogane-san, the damage to your spine is very severe. It is highly unlikely you'll-"

"Shut up!" The detective snarled. "I'm going to be fine! I'm going to recover! Don't tell me I'm not!" Tears were forming in her eyes again as she pulled her hand from Yu's loving grasp. "I can't let it all end like this…"

The doctor left after Naoto's outburst, leaving her and Yu alone in the room as her angry breathing devolved into sobs, tears beginning to stream down her face as what remained of her composure crumbled. "I'm sorry, Senpai. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." She sniffled, wiping tears from her eyes.

The silverette gently ran the fingers of one hand through her blue locks, his expression holding no anger. "It's alright, Naoto. I can't say I know what it's like, but I know that it must hurt you so much." Getting out of his chair, he gently held her against him, the small girl pushing herself into a sitting position so she could return the hug. "Just remember that I'm always here for you. We've been through so much; I'm not going to abandon you now. Remember those words I said to you two years ago today?"

Naoto wiped her eyes on Yu's shirt before looking up at him with a sad smile. "How could I forget? I was confused at the time, but looking back, that was the happiest day of my life. The day you first told me you loved me…" She grasped his hand in both of hers, gazing up at him with sorrowful eyes. "But I'm not the girl you knew anymore. I'm not an ace investigator, not the 'Detective Princess' you confessed your love to. Now I'm just a girl with nothing in her future but a wheelchair." Another tear slid down her cheek as she was unable to stop herself from crying.

"That's not true. All you have to do is change your style. Someone who analyzes the evidence is just as important as the person who runs out and collars the crook, right?" Yu smiled and held his girlfriend's hand comfortingly. "Besides, I still love you, and I always will. Whether you can walk or not makes no difference to me."

The look in his eyes was just as she remembered - calm and confident, so sure of their future. It lifted her heart immensely. Gathering her strength, the detective nodded and said, "You're right. I've been being foolish this entire time; this doesn't change who I am at all. So long as I have you and Grampa, I'll be fine." She tilted her head down shyly and blushed, adding in a quiet voice, "Thank you, Senpai."

"Don't thank me. It's because of you we're even here today to see each other. If it wasn't for your efforts, Inaba would have been consumed by Shadows over a year ago, remember?" He could sense Naoto's gratitude, and before his mind could catch up his heart had made its move. Grasping her hand in one of his, he used the other to tilt her chin upward while he swooped down and kissed her lips.

Naoto was paralyzed with shock for a moment, feeling Yu's lips pressed against hers. After a moment she gave in to her own love, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a deeper, more passionate kiss. The touch was electrifying to her, sending shivers down her spine as she felt him embrace her gently, their lips locked together for what seemed like an eternity. Finally they pulled apart, Naoto's face flushed with delight and embarrassment as she looked into her senpai's eyes. "You know, stealing can get you arrested, Senpai." She giggled softly.

"What? What are you talking about, Naoto?" Yu was confused, not knowing quite what she meant. Judging by what little he knew of her sense of humor, it was probably a detective joke, but those still went way over his head.

The small girl smiled and grabbed his collar, pulling his face in close to hers. "You just stole my first kiss, Senpai. Then again, I won't press charges; I wanted to give it to you anyway…" Her eyes sparkled with love, her heart pounding from the excitement of sharing a kiss with her beloved Yu. She moved to kiss him again, but the door opened just as their lips were about to touch…

A voice laced with refinement and strength reached them as it asked, "Naoto-chan, are you- What is going on here?" Both Naoto and Yu hurriedly pulled apart, their faces beet red as they looked toward the fit, elderly man standing in the doorway. The white-haired elder gave Yu a stern look and asked, "What exactly are you doing with my granddaughter?"

"N-Nothing, Grampa!" Naoto stammered, waving her hands as if to clear the air. "I forgot, I never introduced you. Grampa, this is Yu Narukami… My boyfriend of exactly two years today." She glanced concernedly between her love and her grandfather, worry written all over her face.

The head of the Shirogane family stared Yu down, noticing how the silverette didn't flinch even under the needle-like gaze. Finally he said in a surprisingly pleasant tone, "It's nice to really meet you at last, Narukami-kun."

Both the teenagers in the room were dumbfounded by the old man's sudden change of demeanor. Chuckling, he asked, "Did you think I didn't know who he was, Naoto-chan? Remember, he was there when we discussed the incident with my 'Phantom Thief' trick two years ago. I may be old, but my mind hasn't gone yet - I still remember his face." Smiling broadly, he moved to Yu and extended a hand. "Daichi Shirogane. It's a pleasure to meet the young man who has made my Naoto-chan so happy."

Yu shook Daichi's hand and smiled slightly, giving a small bow as he replied, "Likewise, Shirogane-sama. Naoto is a very special girl, and very dear to my heart." He was trying not to let his relief show; he didn't want the elder Shirogane to know exactly how much his mere entrance had intimidated him.

"Grampa, if you're happy about us being together, why did you act so angry? You nearly scared us both to death - and don't lie, Yu, I could see that you were just as frightened as I was!" Naoto's face was still red, but now it was more an irritated flush than one of embarrassment at being caught kissing Yu.

Daichi hid another small chuckle behind his hand before answering, "I wanted to test his mettle. Anyone who lacks the courage to look me in the eye will never be accepted as a match for you, Naoto-chan. Don't worry, Narukami-kun, you passed with flying colors." There was a twinkle in the old man's eye as he looked at the now-obviously relieved Yu and the frustrated Naoto.

Yu bowed again. "I'm glad I could finally meet the man Naoto holds in such high regard. I just wish it could be under better circumstances."

The merriment in the elder Shirogane's face disappeared at those words. "As do I, Narukami-kun, as do I. What did the doctors say about your condition, Naoto-chan?" His voice carried a grave tone now as he watched his granddaughter's face fall.

"My legs are paralyzed." Naoto said just loud enough for them both to hear. "I'll never walk again."

When next the old man spoke, his voice was laden with sorrow. "I see… This is certainly going to change things. Narukami-kun, you live with the Dojima family, correct?" He asked, his eyes fixed on Yu.

"Yes, sir." The younger man answered. "Detective Dojima is my uncle, sir."

Daichi nodded to himself as he murmured, "I see, I see… Assuming Dojima-san accepts the arrangements, would you be willing to change your place of residence? Having another pair of hands at the estate would be extremely helpful, and I'm sure your being by her side would ease Naoto's heart more than my and Yakushiji's presence ever could."

Naoto's eyes went wide as she stared at her grandpa. "G-Grampa, are you serious? Are you invoking the family tradition here?" She could barely get the words out, which confused Yu immensely.

"Family tradition? If I may ask, Naoto, what do you mean?" The silverette asked worriedly. He didn't know exactly what kind of tradition such a distinguished family could have for someone dating their daughters, and given Naoto's usual strictness it frightened him.

The shock disappeared from the young detective's face, replaced instead by a deep crimson blush. "Well, you see, my father was the one who changed his name to Shirogane when he and my mother were married. Grampa and Gramma did the same thing with him; it's a Shirogane family tradition that if a man becomes romantically involved with the Shiroganes' daughter, he moves in with them… And from then on, they're engaged to be married…" She turned away, doing an absolutely horrible job of hiding her blush.

This time it was Yu's eyes that shot open. "S-Shirogane-sama, no disrespect meant, but are you asking me…?"

"Yes, Narukami-kun. I am inviting you to join Naoto and I in our home - on the condition that you agree to marry Naoto when the time comes." Daichi's expression was stern again as he watched Yu, who seemed understandably on edge.

Closing the distance between them and wrapping his arm around Naoto's shoulders, Yu nodded. "I accept, and I welcome this opportunity. Before all this craziness happened today, I had planned to ask to meet you, Shirogane-sama, so I could ask for Naoto's hand myself."

Daichi's face broke into a smile as he shook Yu's hand again, nodding happily. "Then it's good to have you, Yu-kun. I have every confidence that you'll be the perfect man for my granddaughter."

In the midst of this, Naoto's face felt like it was on fire, and her mind felt dazed and dizzy. _I'm engaged to Senpai!_ She thought, closing her eyes and resting against him as the two men shared their mutual happiness over the occasion.

***Trivia Note:** Daichi is a Japanese boys' name meaning 'great wisdom.'


	3. The Prince of Shirogane

__**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long hiatus. A combination of computer trouble, personal business and plain old writer's block have delayed this chapter much longer than I would've liked. But it's here now, and with it comes the introduction of my OC! Hope you enjoy!

Yu moved the last of his things into his room at the Shirogane estate - or rather, the room he and Naoto were now sharing. Daichi had surprised him yet again by not only allowing but requesting that they share a room, stating that, "You're soon to become family anyway, and it's best you remain together when you can." A week had gone by since he and Naoto had formed their engagement in the hospital, and while he had been happy to stay at her side during that time, it was nice to come home. His real home, where he and Naoto would live together forever.

"I see you've finished moving your things." Naoto said from the doorway, causing him to jump and wheel around. She was dressed as always, having insisted on getting dressed on her own despite her infirmity, and was seated in a matte black wheelchair controlled by a joystick on the right arm. A smile touched the corners of her mouth as she watched Yu's obvious surprise.

"How did you get up here? Did Daichi-sama or Yakushiji-san help you up the stairs?" He asked, trying to figure out how a wheelchair could have gotten up the steps unassisted.

The girl laughed, her expression recapturing the joy she had lost while in the hospital. "The steps can also function as escalators, in case an intruder ever managed to trap them with grease or something similar. You didn't know?"

Yu shook his head in amazement. "I didn't. The Shirogane family really does think of everything; guess I'll have to step up my game before we get married." A grin crossed his face as he saw Naoto blush at his words.

"That's still a ways off…" She muttered, flushed with embarrassment. "I still need to graduate high school, after all, and there's so much to consider when setting up the ceremony… I still can't believe this is true, to be honest. It still feels like a dream."

A smile touched the young man's face as he walked over to Naoto and gently touched her hair. "One step at a time, Naoto. One step at a time." His voice was soft and caring, his fingers gently stroking his beloved's hair.

Before he could say or do anything else, however, Yakushiji's voice drifted up the stairs to them. "Naoto-sama, Arimitsu-sama is here to see you."

"I'll be down in a moment." The detective called back before looking to Yu with resignation in her face and, when she next spoke, in her voice as well. "I'm sorry to trouble you, but would you accompany me downstairs? There's someone you should meet…"

Yu nodded quickly, beginning to push Naoto's wheelchair for her. "Just so you don't have to use up the battery." He explained before she could protest, smiling as they descended the escalator-stairs and entered the anteroom where Daichi, Yakushiji and an intense-looking stranger waited.

"This is a surprise." The stranger said in a dry voice as the two entered. "I was unaware you were being replaced, Yakushij." He was intimidating to say the least, wearing a blue suit similar to Naoto's favorite cold-weather outfit under a matching long coat, both the same color as his navy blue hair. His eyes were steel-gray and cold as chilled metal, and a long scar down his right cheek served as the only mar to his statuesque appearance. All in all, he looked like an older, rugged, male Naoto.

The crippled detective glowered at her visitor, saying in a hard tone, "Yu is not a replacement for Yakushiji. He is my fiancé, and I would appreciate it if you respected him as such."

A snort escaped the young man's nose as he glanced to Daichi. "Grandfather, is this true? This delinquent is Nao-chan's husband-to-be? Please tell me this is your idea of a joke." His voice was lazy and careless, emphasizing the already prominent disdain it held.

"Not at all, Arimitsu. Yu here is the man I spoke to you about before you arrived." Daichi didn't seem to mind Arimitsu's obvious dislike of the situation, though whether he didn't care or was just taking it in stride was up for debate.

Yu stepped forward and extended his hand, speaking formally as he said, "I'm Yu Narukami. A pleasure to meet you."

The cold man shook his hand briefly before pulling back, answering, "Arimitsu Shirogane. And yes, it is." Turning away from Yu, Arimitsu sighed, "Have you truly lost sight of who you are, Nao-chan? No matter how fine an air he puts on, a common street punk is ill suited to share in the prestige of the Shirogane family. Surely you understand this?"

"Enough!" Naoto suddenly snapped. "I will not have you insulting Yu right in front of me! Apologize, Arimitsu!"

Before she could continue, Naoto was silenced by Yu's gesture for her to stop. Once she had quieted, the silverette responded in an equally cold voice, "I realize you don't want me to marry Naoto, but it's not for you to decide. We've been dating for two years now, and I don't intend to leave her simply because an arrogant prick like you doesn't approve." There was a harsh undertone beneath Yu's words, delivering his point like the Blade of Totsuka he wielded during his adventure.

Arimitsu stiffened visibly, then slowly turned back to the two. "You really are a fool, aren't you?" He hissed venomously. "You had best watch your tongue, or you might find it removed from your empty head." The Shirogane's fingers twitched as a flash of metal could be seen slipping out of his sleeve.

Daichi chose that moment to intervene, roaring, "That is enough! Arimitsu, you've gone too far. As for you two…" The old man turned his eyes on Yu and Naoto, both of whom still looked angry. "Restrain yourselves. I will not have the three of you raising havoc in my house."

Arimitsu's eyes stayed locked on Yu's for a moment before he turned away, sticking whatever he was carrying back up his sleeve. "As you wish, Grandfather." He said stiffly. "If you'll excuse me…" The fearsome young man swept out of the room, followed by Daichi and Yakushiji.

"Let's go, Yu." Naoto sighed. "I'll explain everything upstairs." And so they ascended to their room again, at which point the young detective shook her head miserably.

"What's his problem?" Yu asked, anger still present in his voice.

"Arimitsu is my cousin - his father is my mother's brother. He's technically the successor to the Shirogane name, though he's also the black sheep of the family." She looked away, her voice low as she continued. "He trained to be a detective, but ended up being recruited as part of a special squad by the prefecture. He specializes in undercover operations; most of his time is spent infiltrating gangs, black market groups, drug cartels and the like. It's changed his personality dramatically since he began the work - he's combined his Shirogane pride with a belief that our family is above all others, and is adamant that we only associate with those of 'high status and good breeding' as he says. More than once he's broached the subject of arranging my marriage, usually to complete strangers as a means of gaining political power. It's been a source of contention between him and Grampa for many years."

Yu's fists clenched as he seethed, "That's horrible. I'll have to make sure I restrain myself when I'm around him then; it wouldn't look good if I gave my cousin-to-be a black eye." He ground his teeth angrily, obviously extremely annoyed with the new arrival.

Naoto saw the look in his eyes and felt concern wash over her. "Please calm down, Yu. You're starting to scare me…" She recognized the look in her fiancé's eyes; it was the same expression he'd possessed two years before, when he and Yosuke were on the verge of throwing Taro Namatame into the TV.

The silverette breathed deeply, eventually calming himself. "I'm alright… I'm alright, Naoto." He exhaled slowly, his next words said in an icy voice. "I won't let him get the best of me. I'll prove to him that I'll take care of you."

"I'm sure you'll convince him eventually. His work has given him a negative outlook on the 'common people', but you'll be the one to break that mold." The detective smiled softly, taking his hand and holding it gently. "After all, I know my husband-to-be is unmatched by any other."


	4. Arimitsu's Dark Reality

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the hiatus, I've been having trouble with my computer. And writer's block. They both suck. Anyway, new chapter, with a shocking new twist! Here ya go!

The next morning, Yu had gotten up to make a cup of coffee when he bumped into the last person he wanted to see. "Arimitsu-san." He said stiffly as the Shirogane heir approached.

"Narukami." Arimitsu replied, the cold look from the previous day still evident in his eyes. "You're still here? I'd thought for sure you'd come to your senses and leave before facing me again." His voice was as dry and condescending as ever, his eyes seeming to mock Yu with their gaze.

The silverette returned his gaze with equal coldness, responding, "The bond I have with Naoto will never be broken by anyone, least of all you. It'd be best if you stopped trying."

Arimitsu's eyes flashed with anger as he hissed, "You're pushing your luck with every second you stay in my sight. I suggest you leave before I lose my temper, fool." Naoto's cousin took a step forward threateningly, his expression betraying his pure hatred of Yu.

"What's going on here?" A familiar high-pitched voice from the doorway made both of them stop and turn, meeting Naoto's annoyed gaze. "Arimitsu, what are you scheming this time?" She asked harshly. "I already told you not to interfere."

The two Shiroganes locked eyes before Arimitsu shook his head and said, "I cannot accept this, Nao-chan. You deserve better than this gutter trash; a man must have wealth, power and intelligence to have any chance of being good enough-." He seemed passionate about the subject, his voice growing in intensity until Naoto cut him off.

"Enough!" The young detective's voice held more anger than Yu had ever heard from her before; she sounded almost hysterical. "You've crossed the line, Arimitsu! Yu, will you please come upstairs with me?" Tears had formed in the girl's eyes as she gazed at her fiancé and her cousin, torn by their animosity.

Yu, however, stood his ground. "You like to fight, Arimitsu-san? Then I'll give you a fight. I'll prove to you I'm strong enough to marry Naoto." His voice was hard without being overly aggressive, and his words brought an expression of amusement to Arimitsu's face and one of horror to Naoto's.

"Hahaha…" The elder Shirogane chuckled as he swept a lock of his navy hair from his face. "You have more guts than I gave you credit for, Narukami! I accept your challenge! If you win, I will offer no more resistance to your and Nao-chan's union. If I win… You will leave the estate, and never speak to her again under penalty of death!" He licked his lips savagely, silver eyes wide and face locked in a demented grin.

Naoto spoke up then, saying, "Stop this, you two! There's no reason to-!"

Yu raised a hand and interrupted, his expression cold. "I'm sorry, Naoto, but this has to be done. People like Arimitsu-san understand nothing better than brute force." The barbed insult was complimented by his emotionless voice, but Arimitsu didn't seem to mind.

"It is decided then. We'll have our duel in the training room beneath the house. Meet me there once you've said your goodbyes." Turning and waving casually, Arimitsu walked away as a peal of delighted laughter remained to hang in the air.

All was silent for a few moments until Naoto fumed, "Yu, what have you done?! Arimitsu is an expert fighter, and was even before he began this career! I know you're strong, but… He's too dangerous!"

Yu shook his head and glared after his opponent. "This is something I have to do. If I don't, he'll keep harassing us until the end of time, and I won't have him ruining our life together." Looking over his shoulder at Naoto, he asked, "Where is this training room?"

"It's in the basement. I'll take you there." The young woman sighed in resignation, wheeling herself forward to lead the way.

The two reached the room below the estate in short order, Arimitsu standing before them with a cold expression. "Nao-chan." He stated icily. "Stay out of the room for this. I believe it is unnecessary for you to see what will become of your Narukami."

Naoto was about to protest when Yu nodded. "He's right, Naoto, but for a different reason. I know you're no stranger to it after our adventures together, but there's going to be blood. You don't have to see this."

Nodding slowly, the girl said, "I'll still be watching through the window, but I won't interfere. Is that good enough?" Both men nodded in agreement, and Naoto wheeled herself out of the room and to the window.

The door closed automatically, locking behind Naoto as she exited. Yu stared Arimitsu down, though his opponent seemed unperturbed. "You're brave, Narukami. Or is it foolish? There's a fine line between courage and madness, you know."

"Cut the crap and let's get on with it." Yu responded, his hands clenching into fists.

The Shirogane heir nodded and allowed himself a small grin, pulling something out of his pocket with one hand while another reached around to his back. "Yes, let's. It's time for you to leave my cousin's life… Forever." He produced a small canister from his pocket and tossed it at Yu, letting it break open on the floor. A smell Yu was familiar with from the fast-food restaurants back home filled his nose as he coughed, hearing Arimitsu's laughter.

"Gas…!?" The silverette choked, watching as his foe pulled a gas mask over his face. "You cheating son of a…!"

"Dear dear, are you upset at being caught unprepared? And did you really think I was going to give you, whom I've already known to be a strong fighter, any sort of chance at beating me? All I need to do is stand here, Narukami. Stand here and watch you die." A malicious laugh bubbled out from behind Arimitsu's mask as he watched Yu cough and choke on his weapon.

Feeling his throat and lungs burning, Yu nevertheless lumbered toward his intended killer, letting loose a heavy blow toward his elder's stomach. The punch was caught effortlessly, and the pain Yu felt was multiplied exponentially as Arimitsu slammed his other fist just below his ribs. As the silverette doubled over in pain, Arimitsu laughed again and bashed his chest with one knee, cracking at least one rib. "You scum!" Yu choked, his vision fading as the gas took its toll on him. "I'll… haunt… you…" The words were barely perceptible as he blacked out, falling unconscious.

"That was no challenge at all." Arimitsu commented as he walked to the wall and flipped the AC switch. Once he was certain the gas had cleared, he removed his mask only to be tackled hard from behind. "What the-?!"

Daichi's voice growled with rage into his ear as he demanded, "Why would you resort to such measures?! Why, Arimitsu?!"

Breaking free of the old man's grip, the younger Shirogane turned and punched him hard, knocking the family's head to the ground. "Don't call me Arimitsu." He ordered harshly. "That piece of trash is dead, just like Narukami will be." The young man had changed completely; his voice no longer held the stiff formality of before, instead sounding rough and coarse like a gangster's.

"What?!" Naoto demanded as Yakushiji removed Yu's unconscious body from the room. "Arimitsu is dead?"

The stranger nodded and grinned, saying, "Yep. I was just helping my boss run some angel dust into Tokyo, when all of a sudden some nut job starts waving' a gun around and saying he's with the prefecture. Of course, we don't take shit like that very well, so he didn't last long. And whaddaya know? He's got a badge and everything, with the name 'Arimitsu Shirogane.' Well, we'd all heard about the Shiroganes - a bunch of stuck-up law-and-order types who'd prefer it if everyone was robbed of all freedom and turned into mindless drones. So my boss tells me, 'Jungo, you're gonna pretend to be this Shirogane asshole and take 'em all out from the inside.' I'm only too happy to do the job, so I get fixed up by some of my fellow yakuza pals and head over here to this backwater dump. On the way I learned that the sap we filled full of lead has a cousin, and I figured she'd make a nice little present for the boss once I gave the rest of the family a couple good blows to the head."

Naoto's eyes widened with horror as the yakuza continued his story. "But then that damn Narukami starts getting overprotective, so I've gotta get rid of him too. Damn shame; I would've liked to get someone like him into the syndicate. But he wants to fight, so I gotta oblige him. Luckily I've done some research into chemical weapons and know how to make mustard gas, so I just let that loose on his ass and away we go! And now we're here, just you and me, and I think I'd better train you for your new life with the boss." He grinned savagely, taking a step forward and asking, "You ready, _Nao-chan?_"

Before Naoto could move to wheel herself away, and before the gangster could move, an authoritative voice yelled, "Freeze!" Both the detective and her would-be assaulter snapped their heads toward the door, where a squad of armed police officers were pouring in.

One of the officers, a girl with bowl-cut brown hair, asked, "You okay, Naoto-kun?!" Naoto blinked with surprise, seeing Chie in uniform for the first time.

"You're under arrest for the murder of Arimitsu Shirogane, the attempted rape and kidnapping of Naoto Shirogane, and the attempted murders of Daichi Shirogane and Yu Narukami!" Detective Dojima and the rest of his squad restrained the yakuza thug, who had enough sense not to resist. As the police led him out, Chie helped Daichi to his feet and escorted him and Naoto from the room.

After the infiltrator had been taken off to the police station, Daichi and Yu were hauled away to the hospital. Yakushiji and Naoto stayed behind, as did Chie, who had been granted temporary leave by Dojima. "It's gonna be okay now, Naoto." The junior detective said soothingly, stroking her friend's hair.

"Yu…" Naoto murmured in a soft, terrified tone. "I wouldn't care what happened to me as long as he was safe, but… Because I didn't intervene sooner, he could die…" Tears began pouring down her face faster than Chie could try and wipe them away. "I'm going to the hospital. I don't care how long I have to wait, I'm going to be by his side as soon as I'm allowed to."

Chie and Yakushiji glanced at one another, knowing it was useless to try and stop the distraught Naoto. Before five minutes had passed, the three were in Chie's cruiser and on their way to Inaba Municipal Hospital.


	5. Epilogue: Tragedy

That night, the Seekers of Truth were all gathered in the waiting area while Dojima and Nanako were inside talking to the doctors. One member of the group was on the verge of losing his mind, while the others tried to calm him down.

"This is a hospital, man! Cool it!" Yosuke snapped .

Yukiko added in a panicked voice, "Please, Kanji-kun, calm down!"

The bleached-blond high school senior shouted, "Calm down?! How the hell am I supposed to calm down?! That bastard nearly killed Senpai, and that's bad enough, but look what he tried to do to Naoto, dammit! I ain't gonna just let a guy go who tried to hurt her!"

Everyone went silent for a moment as Naoto looked down sadly. "Please, Kanji…" She said in a soft voice.

"I know what you're thinkin', Naoto. I ain't gonna mess around with Senpai's girl. But all of you are my best friends, and if any of you get hurt, I'm gonna take whoever did it down. Got that?!" Kanji took a deep breath and sat down. "I'm glad you're safe, Naoto, but… Dammit, why Senpai?!"

"I'm asking myself the same thing." Rise murmured. "Is it just because you two were close, or did he develop some kind of grudge against Senpai personally?" The idol had tears running down her face, ruining her makeup as she failed to notice.

Yukiko shook her head and said, "Whatever the reason, I can't forgive anything he did. Hurting Yu, attacking Naoto… Any of it."

Their conversation was interrupted when Nanako exited the room, her face soaked with tears. "Everyone… Big Bro…" She sobbed, unable to finish her sentence.

Yosuke placed a hand on Nanako's shoulder and said, "Take a deep breath. What happened to Yu?"

The small girl shook her head before letting it hang miserably. "Big Bro… died."

Everyone froze for a moment as the news sank in. Chie was the first to speak, asking, "He… died? Yu's dead?" Nanako nodded as Dojima came out and hugged her.

Naoto's eyes had already filled to the brim with tears as she asked, "Is it true, Dojima-san? Yu…" Her voice trembled with fear as she awaited her fellow detective's answer, dreading the words.

Dojima nodded, and everyone was surprised to see that he was crying as well. "It's true." He said as he tried to hold back tears. "The gas did a lot of damage, and that punk broke three ribs to boot. The doctors said that it isn't humanly possible to live through something like that." The man held his daughter tightly, sharing Nanako's sorrow.

Yosuke shook and bowed his head, saying, "No way? Yu's actually gone… I can't believe it. He was always the strongest out of all of us. Without him, none of us would be here right now. And you're telling me he's dead…?"

Tears squeezed out of Yukiko's eyes as she buried her face in her hands. "This can't be happening… It can't! Yu can't die!"

"S-Senpai…" Rise choked through her own tears, clinging to Kanji for support. "Why Senpai? Kanji, why?" The young man only shook his head, unable to say anything through his grief.

Naoto likewise said nothing, only sitting in her wheelchair and crying. Eventually Dojima put his hand on the young detective's shoulder and asked, "Naoto, will you stay with us for the night? I think it would help all of us if you were there."

She nodded and said, "Of course. I can't go back to the Shirogane estate now… It's far too painful." Looking to her friends, she asked, "I understand if they can't all stay overnight, but can the others come too? Tonight… I'd like us all to share our memories of Yu." Her voice was filled with expected sorrow, her silver eyes still dripping tears.

"Of course. Come on, everyone, let's go." And so they all left for the Dojima residence, no one wanting to go home alone.

Late that night, after her friends had left and Dojima and Nanako had gone to sleep, Naoto sat in her wheelchair after Dojima had hauled it up to Yu's room. "Yu…" She whispered as the rain fell outside and the wall clock ticked. "Why did this happen? Izanagi… You were his Persona, his guardian. How could you let this happen?" The clock struck midnight as Naoto gazed at the TV, hoping fleetingly that this magical time would give her something to help her through her grief. But nothing came.

**Author's Note: And so this tragic tale of Misfortune ends. But just as Yu and Naoto's bond remains unsevered even after death, their saga has not ended. There is more to come.**

**~Tressimir**


End file.
